Friday, January 4, 2013

First things first: the holiday series, I know. Sorry about that folks; Newtown just
completely destroyed my enthusiasm for it.
I tried, but that last post (the Amazon/package delay one) was so
obviously forced that I just decided not to push against the wind. Somehow, whimsy and/or sarcasm just don’t
work in the face of tragedy. We'll try it again next year; currently, I’m thinking I might do the whole thirty-one day extravaganza
again. Two years’ distance from the
first go-round should give some new ideas time to germinate.

It seems to have been a bit of a strange holiday for
everyone I’ve polled; something about living and celebrating in the shadow of
that terrible thing made the whole season feel like one huge mood swing. My father asked me earlier today if I thought
the holiday season was over, to which I quickly blurted out an emphatic YES,
and then followed with a more considered “if it was even really here in the
first place”.

I know I sound a bit like Debby Downer, which is hardly fair
to the actual content of the last two weeks.
Rhea and I spent a truly magical day and evening in Manhattan on the
Saturday before Christmas, and I mentally relive parts of it every time I need
a boost. This year’s gift exchange was
awesome: nothing HUGE, no cars or boats or houses or anything, but I was struck
by how well those closest enough to me to be in the gifting circle truly know and
understand me. To go all Hallmark on yo’
asses for a second, that’s really the
gift. Things are fun, especially things
you’ll truly enjoy – expect a post or three about the Blue Öyster Cult Columbia Albums Collection any time now –
but to have those closest to you know you so well as to be completely unerring
in their understanding of who you are and what you like? ‘Tis a truly remarkable, wonderful thing.

Onward, then: one of the great things about any holiday
season – even misfit ones like this year’s – is that they always end with the
promise of renewal. NEW YEAR NEW YOU, as
the ubiquitous signs at Borders used to declare. NEW YOU?
Not hardly, but BETTER YOU is always a good thing to shoot for. I’m usually not big on resolutions, but I do
actually have one this year: completion. I’ve got a bunch of great, cool things
simmering on my burners right now, and energy enough to light several Christmas
trees. I’ve just got to make sure they
all get seen through to the end. Watch
this space.

May all of your projects see full, glorious completion in
the year ahead as well.